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Facebook, Holocaust Denial, and Anti-Semitism 2.0
[Institute for Global Jewish Affairs] Andre Oboler - In May 2009, Facebook went into damage control in response to the media interest in Holocaust-denial groups it hosted. Such groups not only breached Facebook's terms of service but were illegal under national laws banning Holocaust denial in several countries. At the same time, Facebook rolled out new terms of use. These removed the explicit ban on content that is "harmful," "defamatory," "abusive," "inflammatory," "vulgar," "obscene," "fraudulent," "invasive of privacy or publicity rights," or "racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable." Facebook's eventual response, defending the posting of Holocaust denial, highlighted a dramatic change in direction for a company that once sought to provide a "safe place on the Internet." Facebook has through ignorance created an anti-Semitic policy platform where the only explicitly allowed hate is that, within certain parameters, directed against Jews.